U.S. patent application number 14/982091 was filed with the patent office on 2017-06-29 for structural underbody support in a vehicle.
The applicant listed for this patent is FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC. Invention is credited to Rahul ARORA, Mohamed Ridha BACCOUCHE, Saeed David BARBAT.
Application Number | 20170182873 14/982091 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 58584256 |
Filed Date | 2017-06-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170182873 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
BACCOUCHE; Mohamed Ridha ;
et al. |
June 29, 2017 |
STRUCTURAL UNDERBODY SUPPORT IN A VEHICLE
Abstract
A vehicle frame and underbody assembly includes a pair of
longitudinal frame rails and a rear bumper assembly connected to
the frame rails via crush cans. A panel is secured to the frame
rails, and ends at an edge spaced from the rear bumper assembly. A
V-brace is mounted beneath the panel and to the frame rails. The
V-brace includes two legs that come together and intersect at a
first end at the edge of the panel, and that are spaced apart at a
second end. The second end of each leg is secured to a cross-member
that spans between and connects the second ends of the legs. A
traction battery is secured to the panel in a location at least
partially directly above the V-brace.
Inventors: |
BACCOUCHE; Mohamed Ridha;
(Ann Arbor, MI) ; BARBAT; Saeed David; (Novi,
MI) ; ARORA; Rahul; (Royal Oak, MI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC |
Dearborn |
MI |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
58584256 |
Appl. No.: |
14/982091 |
Filed: |
December 29, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60Y 2306/01 20130101;
B60K 1/04 20130101; B60R 19/023 20130101; B62D 25/2027 20130101;
B60K 2001/0416 20130101; B62D 21/155 20130101; B62D 65/16 20130101;
B62D 25/087 20130101; B60K 2001/0438 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B60K 1/04 20060101
B60K001/04; B62D 65/16 20060101 B62D065/16; B62D 21/15 20060101
B62D021/15; B62D 25/20 20060101 B62D025/20; B60R 19/02 20060101
B60R019/02 |
Claims
1. A vehicle comprising: a rear bumper beam; a pair of frame rails
secured to the bumper beam; a cross-member connecting the frame
rails; and a V-brace having two legs with first ends that intersect
and second ends that are spaced apart, each of the first ends being
secured to the other of the legs, and each of the second ends being
secured to the cross-member and one of the frame rails.
2. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a floor panel secured
below the frame rails, the cross-member, and the V-brace, and a
traction battery secured above the floor panel at a location
vertically aligned with the V-brace.
3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the cross-member includes a
flange extending along a length thereof, and each of the legs
includes a first flange extending along a length thereof that is
secured to the flange of the cross-member.
4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the frame rails each include a
flange extending along a length thereof, and each of the legs
includes a second flange extending along the length thereof that is
secured to the flange of one of the frame rails.
5. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising one or more
additional cross-members connecting the frame rails, wherein the
V-brace is secured to the cross-member and not to the additional
cross-members.
6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the cross-member includes two
half-members secured to one another, and each of the legs is
secured to one of the two half-members.
7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein each of the legs has an upper
side and a lower side, the upper side is secured to a floor panel
and has a first width, and the lower side is spaced from the upper
side and has a second width less than the first width.
8. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the first end of the V-brace is
defined by an intersection of the two legs, and the first end has a
width less than the first width of the upper side of each of the
legs.
9. A frame structure for a vehicle, comprising: a pair of frame
rails; a rear bumper beam coupled to the frame rails; a
cross-member coupled to the frame rails; and a pair of V-brace
members each having first and second ends, the first ends
intersecting and being spaced apart from the bumper beam, and the
second ends being spaced from one another and each directly
connecting with the cross-member and one of the frame rails.
10. The frame structure of claim 9, further comprising a floor
panel having a first surface and an opposing second surface,
wherein the first surface is secured to the frame rails, the
cross-member, and the V-brace members, and the second surface is
configured to support a traction battery at a location vertically
aligned with at least a portion of the V-brace members.
11. The frame structure of claim 9, wherein the cross-member
includes a flange extending along a length thereof, and each of the
V-brace members includes a first flange extending between the
bumper beam and the cross-member and secured to the flange of the
cross-member.
12. The frame structure of claim 11, wherein the frame rails each
include a flange extending along a length thereof, and each of the
V-brace members includes a second flange extending between the
bumper beam and the cross-member and secured the flange of one of
the frame rails.
13. The frame structure of claim 9, further comprising one or more
additional cross-members connecting the frame rails, wherein the
V-brace members are secured to the cross-member and not to the
additional cross-members.
14. The frame structure of claim 9, wherein the cross-member
includes two half-members secured to one another, and each of the
V-brace members is secured to one of the two half-members.
15. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein each of the V-brace members has
an upper side and a lower side, the upper side is secured to a
floor panel and has a first width, and the lower side has a second
width less than the first width.
16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the first ends of the V-brace
members intersect to define a width that is less than the first
width of the upper side of each of the V-brace members.
17. A method comprising: securing a cross-member to first and
second frame rails; securing one leg of a V-brace to the
cross-member and to the first frame rail, and another leg of the
V-brace to the cross-member and to the second frame rail; securing
a bumper beam to the frame rails such that the bumper beam is
spaced from an intersecting region of the legs; and mounting a
battery to a floor panel above the V-brace.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the intersecting region of the
legs of the V-brace provides a contact surface for contacting the
bumper beam, and the contact surface has a width that is less than
a width of the legs of the V-brace.
19. The method of claim 17, further comprising contacting a flange
of the one leg of the V-brace with a flange of the cross-member.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This disclosure relates to underbody support structure in a
vehicle.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Current vehicle frames at their rear include a pair of frame
rails, and a pair of secondary rails that are inboard of the frame
rails. The secondary rails are generally parallel with the frame
rails to transfer loads from a rear impact toward the front of the
vehicle.
SUMMARY
[0003] According to one embodiment, a vehicle includes a rear
bumper beam, a pair of frame rails secured to the bumper beam, and
a cross-member connecting the frame rails. A V-brace is also
included. The V-brace has two legs with first ends that intersect
and second ends that are spaced apart. Each of the first ends is
secured to the other of the legs, and each of the second ends are
secured to the cross-member and one of the frame rails.
[0004] A floor panel may be secured below the frame rails, the
cross-member, and the V-brace. A traction battery may be secured
above the floor panel at a location vertically aligned with the
V-brace.
[0005] The cross-member may include a flange extending along a
length thereof, and each of the legs may include a first flange
extending along a length thereof that is secured to the flange of
the cross-member.
[0006] The frame rails may each include a flange extending along a
length thereof, and each of the legs may include a second flange
extending along the length thereof that is secured to the flange of
one of the frame rails.
[0007] The vehicle may also include one or more additional
cross-members connecting the frame rails, wherein the V-brace is
secured to the cross-member and not to the additional
cross-members. The cross-member may include two half-members
secured to one another, with each of the legs being secured to one
of the two half-members.
[0008] Each of the legs may have an upper side and a lower side,
the upper side being secured to a floor panel and having a first
width, and the lower side being spaced from the upper side and has
a second width less than the first width. The first end of the
V-brace may be defined by an intersection of the two legs, and the
first end may have a width less than the first width of the upper
side of each of the legs.
[0009] According to another embedment, a frame structure for a
vehicle includes a pair of frame rails, a rear bumper beam coupled
to the frame rails, and a cross-member coupled to the frame rails.
The frame structure also includes a pair of V-brace members each
having first and second ends, with the first ends intersecting and
being spaced apart from the bumper beam, and the second ends being
spaced from one another and each directly connecting with the
cross-member and one of the frame rails.
[0010] According to yet another embodiment, a method of
manufacturing a vehicle underbody assembly includes securing a
cross-member to first and second frame rails, securing one leg of a
V-brace to the cross-member and to the first frame rail, and
another leg of the V-brace to the cross-member and to the second
frame rail, and securing a bumper beam to the frame rails such that
the bumper beam is spaced from an intersecting region of the legs.
Finally, a battery may be mounted to a floor panel at a location
directly aligned and above with the V-brace.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a vehicle illustrating
a typical location of a traction battery in a hybrid vehicle,
according to one embodiment.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an underbody of a vehicle
looking up toward the bottom of the vehicle, with the underbody
incorporating a V-brace support according to one embodiment.
[0013] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the underbody with a rear
bumper beam attached to the frame rails via crush cans, according
to one embodiment.
[0014] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the underbody of FIG. 2
after a collision impact, illustrating the direction of load
transferring through the underbody, according to one
embodiment.
[0015] FIG. 5 is a side view of the underbody of the vehicle with a
traction battery mounted to the underbody and above the V-brace,
according to one embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] Embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein.
It is to be understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments are
merely examples and other embodiments can take various and
alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some
features could be exaggerated or minimized to show details of
particular components. Therefore, specific structural and
functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as
limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one
skilled in the art to variously employ the embodiments. As those of
ordinary skill in the art will understand, various features
illustrated and described with reference to any one of the figures
can be combined with features illustrated in one or more other
figures to produce embodiments that are not explicitly illustrated
or described. The combinations of features illustrated provide
representative embodiments for typical applications. Various
combinations and modifications of the features consistent with the
teachings of this disclosure, however, could be desired for
particular applications or implementations.
[0017] A frame of a vehicle typically includes a pair of frame
rails that extend along the length of the vehicle. The frame rails
are spaced apart from one another, but can be connected by one or
more cross members extending transverse to the frame rails and
across the frame. A rear bumper assembly may be connected to the
frame rails. Various embodiments of structural support between the
rear bumper assembly and the cross member have been implemented. In
one implementation, one or more longitudinal rails are placed
inboard of the frame rails and extend in generally the same
direction, i.e., along the length of the vehicle. These inboard
rails may also connect to the cross member. In the event of a
collision from the rear of the vehicle, load can be transferred
along the inboard rails and to the cross-member. With this
configuration, the cross member can buckle and bend under the axial
load transferred by the two inboard rails.
[0018] According to various embodiments described below, a V-brace
is incorporated into the frame, between the cross member and the
rear bumper assembly. The V-brace can provide a substitute
structure that creates a different load path than the previous
longitudinal inboard rails. The load can place the cross member in
tension, which can reduce buckling and bending of the attached
floor. Additional description of various embodiments of this
invention is provided below, with reference to the figures for
exemplary illustrations.
[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates a vehicle 10. The vehicle 10 is a hybrid
vehicle having a traction battery 12 for at least partially
propelling the vehicle 10. According to one embodiment, the
traction battery is located to the rear of the rear seats of the
vehicle, above the vehicle underbody. During a collision, it is
desirable that the traction battery 12 remains protected,
especially if the collision is from the rear of the vehicle.
Various embodiments of an underbody support structure are shown in
the remaining figures for protecting the traction battery in the
event of a collision.
[0020] Referring to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, an
underbody 14 of the vehicle 10 is shown. The view shown in this
Figure (as well as FIGS. 3 and 4) is from underneath the vehicle
and looking upward. The underbody 14 includes a V-brace 16 support
structure. The V-brace 16 is a support member in a general shape of
a "V," in that the V-brace includes two legs 18, 20 that intersect
at one end 22 of the V-brace and are spaced apart at another end 24
of the V-brace. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, a first end 22
of the V-brace member 16 is toward the rear of the vehicle with the
two legs intersecting at a point or region, and a second end 24 of
the V-brace member 16 is more forward of the first end 22 with the
two legs 18, 20 spaced from one another. In other embodiments, the
first end of the V-brace is more towards the front of the vehicle
rather than the rear. That embodiment can be implemented in a front
bumper assembly, for example, rather than the rear bumper assembly
shown in this Figure.
[0021] The underbody 14 includes a pair of spaced apart,
longitudinal frame rails 28, 30. One leg 18 of the V-brace 16 is
connected to one of the frame rails 28, and the other leg 20 of the
V-brace 16 is connected to the other frame rail 30. A cross-member
32 is also connected to the frame rails, and to each leg of the
second end of the V-brace. At each end of the cross-member 32, all
three of the cross-member, the V-brace, and the frame rail are
connected to one another. This will further be described with
reference to FIG. 3.
[0022] The underbody 14 also includes a panel 36 that is secured to
the upper side of the frame rails, the V-brace, and the cross
member. The panel 36 is a stamped sheet that supports the floor of
the vehicle 10. The view shown in FIG. 2 is from beneath the
underbody; in a completed vehicle assembly, the panel is secured to
the upper sides of the support structure relative to the ground
beneath the vehicle.
[0023] A second cross-member 38 may also be included in the
underbody support structure. The second cross-member 38 is spaced
from, rearward of, and generally parallel to the first cross-member
32. The second cross-member 38 provides additional support to the
frame rails, but does not secure to the V-brace.
[0024] Wheel wells 42 are also provided on the underbody. The wheel
wells are located on either side of the panel 36, and extend
downward from the panel (in the view shown in FIG. 2, but upward
when the underbody is right-side up). Between the pair of wheel
wells 42 are where the first and second cross-members 32, 38 are
located, as well as the second end 24 of the V-brace 16. For
additional support, pins 44 can be driven through the frame rails
28, 30 and the cross-member 32 at a location within a length of a
respective wheel well. The pins 44 can aid in the securement of the
cross-member 32 to the frame rails 28, 30.
[0025] Referring to FIG. 3, each leg 18, 20 of the V-brace includes
flanges that run along either side of each leg. In particular, each
leg 18, 20 includes a first flange 50 and a second flange 52. The
flanges 50, 52 are at an upper region of the V-brace 16 such that
they are configured to secure to the panel 36 above in a
face-to-face relationship. The cross-member 32 also includes a
flange 54 that runs along the length of the cross-member. The
flange 54 is also located at an upper region of the cross-member 32
such that it is configured to secure to the panel 36 above in a
face-to-face relationship. The frame rails 28, 30 also include
flanges 56 that run along at least a portion of the length of the
frame rails 28, 30 to enable the frame rails to secure to the panel
36 in a face-to-face relationship. At the second end 24 of the
V-brace 16, the first flange 50 of each leg of the V-brace overlaps
and secures to a respective one of the flanges 56 of the frame
rails 28, 30. The second flange 52 of each leg of the V-brace
overlaps and secures to the flange 54 of the cross-member. Thus, at
the second end 24 of the V-brace 16, a flange-to-flange securing
region is provided between the V-brace 16 and the frame rails 28,
30, and between the V-brace 16 and the cross-member 32. Welding or
other connecting methods can secure the engaged flanges
together.
[0026] The flanges 50, 52 provide an increased width of the legs
18, 20. Each leg may have a first width that is secured to the
panel 36 on a top of the leg. On a bottom of the leg, the leg may
have a second width that is less than the first width. The flanges
on the frame rails and the cross-member also provide an increased
width where the frame rails and cross-member secure to the panel 36
above.
[0027] At the first end 22 of the V-brace 16, the panel 36 ends at
edge 60. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the first end 22 of the
V-brace generally aligns with the end of the panel 36, as well as
the ends of the frame rails 28, 30. The underbody thus ends at the
edge 60 of the panel, along with the ends of the frame rails and
the V-brace member. Spaced apart from the edge 60 of the panel 36
is a rear bumper assembly 62. The rear bumper assembly 62 includes
a bumper beam 64 that is connected to the frame rails 28, 30 via
crush cans 66. A void or empty space exists between the rear bumper
assembly 62 and the end of the V-brace 16 (and the remaining
underbody support structure).
[0028] In the event of a collision from the rear of the vehicle,
the rear bumper assembly 62 is able to absorb the initial forces
and transfer them to the crush cans, which can collapse and crush
in upon themselves. Because the void or space exists between the
rear bumper assembly 62 and the V-brace 16, the forces are not
initially transferred directly to the first end of the V-brace 16.
If the collision is strong enough, the force causes the rear bumper
assembly 62 to press upon the V-brace 16. The arrows shown in FIG.
4 illustrate the direction of force transfer during a rear
collision. The first end 22 of the V-brace 16 receives an impact
force from the rear bumper assembly 62. The force then travels
along the two legs 18, 20 of the V-brace 16, and to the frame rails
28, 30. This causes the cross-member 32 to experience tension
forces that would not be realized if the V-brace was replaced by
parallel brace members that were inboard from the frame rails.
[0029] FIG. 5 shows a side view of the underbody assembly
right-side up. As the vehicle may be a hybrid-electric vehicle, a
traction battery 12 is disposed above the floor panel 36 in a
location directly above the V-brace 16. The V-brace 16 transfers
the forces from the collision such that they are separated towards
the frame rails 28, 30, thus preserving the battery 12 and
inhibiting displacement of the battery 12.
[0030] While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not
intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms
encompassed by the claims. The words used in the specification are
words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood
that various changes can be made without departing from the spirit
and scope of the disclosure. As previously described, the features
of various embodiments can be combined to form further embodiments
of the invention that may not be explicitly described or
illustrated. While various embodiments could have been described as
providing advantages or being preferred over other embodiments or
prior art implementations with respect to one or more desired
characteristics, those of ordinary skill in the art recognize that
one or more features or characteristics can be compromised to
achieve desired overall system attributes, which depend on the
specific application and implementation. These attributes can
include, but are not limited to cost, strength, durability, life
cycle cost, marketability, appearance, packaging, size,
serviceability, weight, manufacturability, ease of assembly, etc.
As such, to the extent any embodiments are described as less
desirable than other embodiments or prior art implementations with
respect to one or more characteristics, these embodiments are not
outside the scope of the disclosure and can be desirable for
particular applications.
* * * * *